The Beckley Foundationhttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org
The Beckley Foundation is a charity registered in Scotland – No. SC033546Fri, 27 Mar 2015 13:13:54 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.7.5Mapping the psychedelic brain: how LSD is making a comebackhttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/mapping-psychedelic-brain-lsd-making-comeback/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/mapping-psychedelic-brain-lsd-making-comeback/#commentsThu, 26 Mar 2015 14:55:34 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13969Can drugs help depression? Crowdfunding allows science researchers to bypass institutional reservations and study taboo subjects. New Statesman by Ian Steadman 25 March, 2015 More than 40 years after its prohibition by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, LSD is making a comeback. Earlier this month came an announcement from Professor David Nutt that the first-ever brain-scanning […]

More than 40 years after its prohibition by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, LSD is making a comeback. Earlier this month came an announcement from Professor David Nutt that the first-ever brain-scanning study into the psychedelic drug had successfully taken place – and that he and his colleagues, Robin Carhart-Harris of Imperial College London and the drugs policy reformer Amanda Feilding of the Beckley Foundation, were seeking to crowd-fund £25,000 from the public [3] in order to process the results. They met their target within 36 hours.

As much as science aims at dispassionate objectivity, there are some areas – recreational drugs being one – in which ignoring the political context is impossible. For example, Nutt is best known for his time as chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, a role from which he was dismissed by the then home secretary, Alan Johnson, when he argued that the risks of using ecstasy were about the same as riding a horse [4]. Plus, there is institutional disquiet from the bodies that usually fund scientific research when it comes to Class A substances. Crowd-funding is one way to break the cycle. And yet, speaking to Carhart-Harris a few months ago, just as the trial was getting under way, I learned that other studies may be coming soon. There is “a snowball that’s been gaining size” in psychedelics research, he said. “It’s only now that it’s visible to people.”

It turns out that the big, notorious drugs of years past – particularly LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) but also MDMA (ecstasy) and ketamine – have shown extraordinary promise in the few early trials that have gone ahead. Single, small doses of these drugs appear to alleviate anxiety and depression, even in severe cases, for long periods of time. Researchers in the US and Switzerland performed basic trials in the 1990s but it is only in the past decade that the “stigma” surrounding these drugs has started to fade.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/mapping-psychedelic-brain-lsd-making-comeback/feed/046 Countries vote for LSD researchhttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/46-countries-vote-lsd-research/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/46-countries-vote-lsd-research/#commentsTue, 17 Mar 2015 14:58:07 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13947Research carried out as part of the Beckley Foundation Psychedelic Research Programme. Crowdfunding campaign for world’s first images of the brain on LSD smashes target in 36 hours and has been supported by over 1000 people in 46 countries. Today the world’s first LSD brain imaging study that is crowdfunding on Walacea has raised over […]

Research carried out as part of the Beckley Foundation Psychedelic Research Programme.

Crowdfunding campaign for world’s first images of the brain on LSD smashes target in 36 hours and has been supported by over 1000 people in 46 countries.

Today the world’s first LSD brain imaging study that is crowdfunding on Walacea has raised over £44k from members of the public from 46 different countries. This exciting study, co-directed by the Beckley Foundation shows how the public can have a say in scientific research. The project raised its initial goal of £25k within the first 36 hours. “On Friday, the campaign page had 25000 hits and was raising £150 every 5 minutes” claims Natalie Jonk, the Founder of Walacea.

The research is being carried out as part of the collaboration between the Beckley Foundation and Imperial College London and is led by Professor David Nutt, Amanda Feilding and Dr Robin Carhart-Harris. Professor Nutt was formerly a Scientific Advisor to UK government and famously said “Horse riding is more dangerous than taking ecstasy”. Professor Nutt and the Beckley Foundation have faced an uphill struggle to make research into psychedelics possible both because of the difficulty in raising funding and also in overcoming the regulations. “The regulations around the use of as well as research into psychedelic drugs should be based on risk not hype and view points of policy makers who are afraid of damaging their reputations” claims Prof Nutt.

“Investigating the potential benefits of currently ‘controlled’ substances should not be an obstacle course, it should be encouraged. This should be particularly the case for psychedelics, whose low risk-profile and promising therapeutic potential do not warrant the draconian censorship imposed on them” states Amanda Feilding, the director of the Beckley Foundation Psychedelic Research Programme.

Natalie Jonk, previously a Scientific Advisor for Novartis claims “Testing a new pharmaceutical agent in humans for the first time is very high risk, psychedelic agents have shown a lot of promise in treating a number of common neurological conditions and many people have used these agents previously so testing them may present a lower risk to subjects than testing a brand new drug that has never been taken by humans”. There are many people who volunteer to take part in the research conducted by the Beckley Foundation because the subjects have often had positive experiences by using psychedelics in the past, these same people may be more apprehensive to take part if they were going to be given a drug that had never been used in humans before yet it is far more simple and less controversial to get approval for conducting research into this kind of work.

There was widespread support of this research across the globe. This demonstrates that many members of the general public are both interested and supportive of this fascinating area of scientific research.

The study uses fMRI and MEG imaging to show how LSD affects brain processes. It is part of a research project that the scientists say could revolutionise the understanding of the human brain. Researchers hope the images will begin to reveal the way the drug could work to heal many debilitating conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, alcohol dependence, anorexia, obesity, depression and anxiety.

“The overwhelming support that this project has had shows the role the public can have in democratising science” claims Jonk. Walacea is the UK’s first crowdfunding site purely for scientific research and only launched in September. “We are delighted that our model is showing promise for engaging the public in research and giving them the opportunity to support science that they would like to make happen” says Jonk. Find out more about the project on walacea.com.

Notes to editors:

About the Beckley Foundation:The Beckley Foundation is a UK-based think-tank and research centre that, since its establishment by Amanda Feilding its Director in 1998, has been at the forefront of global drug policy reform and scientific research into the potential medical benefits of psychoactive substances. Its Scientific Programme uses the latest developments in neuroscience and neuroimaging technology to explore how psychoactive substances act upon the human brain, both to increase our scientific understanding of the mysteries underlying consciousness, and to explore new avenues of treatment for humankind’s many illnesses.

About Walacea.com:Walacea is a new crowdfunding platform for science that was founded by Natalie Jonk, a former scientific advisor. Walacea’s mission is to help scientists and the public connect by funding research together that will help move society forward. Natalie recognised that scientific research is being stifled by funding cuts and wanted to give the public the opportunity to show their hunger for important research.

Natalie Jonk said ‘Many people don’t want their taxes to support things like fracking and trident, they would much rather fund something that does humanity good. I founded Walacea so people can directly back and be involved in research for things like medicine, the environment and space. People can feel a part of science, and have the sensation that they can influence progressive research.’

Interviews:Professor David Nutt and Amanda Feilding, who co-direct the study, will be available to be interviewed on request, as will Robin Carhart-Harris, the study coordinator and Natalie Jonk, the Founder of Walacea.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/46-countries-vote-lsd-research/feed/0Psychedelic Science Should Not Be Feared, It Should Be Encouragedhttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/psychedelic-science-feared-encouraged/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/psychedelic-science-feared-encouraged/#commentsTue, 17 Mar 2015 10:54:49 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13942Huffington Post – the Blog by Amanda Feilding Posted: 11/03/2015 13:59 GMT Thinking is at the heart of what makes us human. Innate intellectual curiosity shapes our well-being. A clear example of this potential can be found in mortality statistics. At the beginning of last century in Britain, life expectancy was approximately 50 years. Nowadays, it is […]

Most of this evolution relates to the accelerated progress of innovation in health technologies and their dissemination through the health care system. Other material reasons, such as a cleaner environment and rising living standards, have also played a major part. But some factors go beyond the material. Better education and reliable information have helped us make better lifestyle choices that translate into a better quality of life. Today we are reminded by product packaging to eat more fruit and vegetables, we boost investment in sports education and we enact targeted regulationto reduce cigarette smoking. Knowledge helps us progress as a society.

This is closer to drug policy reform than it might seem at first glance. When I founded the Beckley Foundation, in 1998, drug policy was not informed by scientific evidence. In its stead, the policies of prohibition developed during the 1960s and 1970s were underpinned by political ideology and expediency. Rigorous research was considered subversive in this area, sacrificed on the altar of the War on Drugs and its ‘tough-on-crime’ posturing.

This half-a-century old paradigm of prohibition has not borne the fruit it intended, and some of the governments of the world are beginning to wake up to this realisation. The United States, once a champion of a ‘drug-free world’, has seen four of its states (and even its capital!) regulate the much-feared reefer without any of the foretold madness. Michael Botticelli, the recently appointed US drug czar, recognised this failure at the 58th Session of the UN’s Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), admitting that incarcerating users was costly, cruel and did not reduce the power of the cartels. But acknowledging the problem is just the first step towards its solution.

A similar change of perspective is urgently needed in the field of scientific research. Investigating the potential benefits of currently ‘controlled’ substances should not be an obstacle course, it should be encouraged. This should be particularly the case for psychedelics, whose low risk-profile and promising therapeutic potential do not warrant the draconian censorship imposed on them. Preliminary research shows psychedelics could be effective as a therapeutic aid to a wide range of debilitating health conditions including anxiety, substance dependence and depression. The Home Office has repeatedly stated the substances’ scheduling does not impede the development of this type of research; and yet, time and time again the current system has led us to financial and logistic hurdles: hefty licenses, difficulties to obtain clinical-grade substances and very limited funding.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/psychedelic-science-feared-encouraged/feed/0Psychedelic drugs like LSD could be used to treat depression, study suggestshttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/psychedelic-drugs-like-lsd-used-treat-depression-study-suggests/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/psychedelic-drugs-like-lsd-used-treat-depression-study-suggests/#commentsTue, 10 Mar 2015 16:38:55 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13921Researchers warn that patients are missing out on potential benefits due to prohibitive regulations on research into recreational drugs Hannah Devlin – The Guardian 5th March 2015 Psychedelic drugs could prove to be highly effective treatments for depression and alcoholism, according to scientists who have obtained the first brain scans of people under the influence […]

Researchers warn that patients are missing out on potential benefits due to prohibitive regulations on research into recreational drugs

Hannah Devlin – The Guardian

5th March 2015

Psychedelic drugs could prove to be highly effective treatments for depression and alcoholism, according to scientists who have obtained the first brain scans of people under the influence of LSD.

Early results from the trial, involving 20 people, are said to be “very promising” and add to existing evidence that psychoactive drugs could help reverse entrenched patterns of addictive or negative thinking.

However, Prof David Nutt, who led the study together with Amanda Feilding of the Beckley Foundation, warned that patients are missing out on the potential benefits of such treatments due to prohibitive regulations on research into recreational drugs.

Speaking at a briefing in London, the government’s former chief drugs adviser, said the restrictions amounted to “the worst censorship in the history of science”.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/psychedelic-drugs-like-lsd-used-treat-depression-study-suggests/feed/0This is your brain on LSD? Scientists want to find outhttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/brain-lsd-scientists-want-find/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/brain-lsd-scientists-want-find/#commentsMon, 09 Mar 2015 13:32:08 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13904Amanda Feilding talks to Parvati Shallows of CBS News about our crowdfunding campaign and the Beckley Foundation Psychedelic Research Programme. CBS News – March 6th 2015 Would you pay money to support a scientific experiment involving illegal drugs? “We went into it tenuously and have been delighted by the response,” said Fielding. “It’s an incredibly […]

Amanda Feilding talks to Parvati Shallows of CBS News about our crowdfunding campaign and the Beckley Foundation Psychedelic Research Programme.

CBS News – March 6th 2015

Would you pay money to support a scientific experiment involving illegal drugs?

“We went into it tenuously and have been delighted by the response,” said Fielding. “It’s an incredibly important area. LSD is something that can expand certain areas of the human personality: openness, spirituality, and creativity. But because of the government prohibition of these substances there has been no recent scientific research.”

In the 1950s and 60s, LSD was explored as an aid to psychotherapy for various psychiatric illnesses. LSD research was short-lived, however, and the drug was declared illegal in the late 1960s. Its classification as a Schedule I drug — meaning it has high potential for abuse and lacks any currently accepted medical use in treatment — has made it nearly impossible for scientists to research.

Only recently have scientists begun to push the door back open to study LSD and other hallucinogenic substances. Fielding’s team is working hard to provide substantial scientific research to help eliminate the taboo of LSD and other hallucinogenic substances and loosen regulations on scientific testing.

“There are many millions of people who have experienced the benefits of psychedelics, and there are millions of people who are suffering with illnesses that want to see if these drugs can help,” said Fielding.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/brain-lsd-scientists-want-find/feed/0“What the results of the cannabis trial show is that Prohibition must end”http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/cannabis-trial-results-show-prohibition-must-end/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/cannabis-trial-results-show-prohibition-must-end/#commentsThu, 05 Mar 2015 17:47:16 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13886The social life of the cannabis plant dates back to more than ten millenia. Many studies have been written on this subject, but they tend to focus on the problematic aspects of use, which are suffered by a small percentage of the total number of users. The policies of prohibition have reinforced this negative bias, […]

The social life of the cannabis plant dates back to more than ten millenia. Many studies have been written on this subject, but they tend to focus on the problematic aspects of use, which are suffered by a small percentage of the total number of users. The policies of prohibition have reinforced this negative bias, obstructing research into the mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential of cannabis. Amanda Feilding and the Beckley Foundation have worked for over sixteen years to change the status quo, initiating a global drug policy debate and developing innovative research.

We have established long-standing collaborations with leading research institutions to study cannabis’ complex biochemistry and its effect on the mind. In particular, the studies conducted with King’s College and University College London (UCL) help us better understand how different concentrations of the plant’s main cannabinoids interact in our body. The most abundant and researched one, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), has a history of therapeutic use (ex. antispasmodic, analgesic, appetite stimulant, etc.), but it is also responsible for the ‘stoning/high’ effects of the substance. Recent studies have also associated it with negative effects, such as acute psychotic-like effects, impaired concentration and memory. On the other hand, cannabidiol (CBD) has demonstrated potential to counter some of these drawbacks, having an opposite effect on regional brain function and highlighting its therapeutic properties.

These studies have raised concern in light of the latest data showing a growing prevalence of high-THC forms of cannabis in the UK’s illicit market. These varieties show high levels of THC (averaging 13-16%) and almost no CBD. Less prevalent forms (hash, non-intensive herbal cannabis) tend to have more balanced concentrations of both THC and CBD (~7-8%).

A study co-designed by Amanda Feilding and carried out by a team at UCL under the leadership of Prof Valerie Curran compared neural correlates of those two types of cannabis with placebo. The trial, which included other modules on cognition, appreciation of music and well-being, was funded by Channel 4, the Beckley Foundation and DrugScience.

The high-THC/low-CBD form of cannabis impaired connectivity in the brain’s salience network, which helps to focus different parts of the brain on important tasks. This network is thought to underpin the motivation to turn ideas into action and get things done. These changes may explain why people under the influence of this type of cannabis also performed worse in a test of motivation, even when offered financial incentives.

The results confirm the protective effects of CBD on the brain during acute administration and make a strong argument against the damaging policies of prohibition. In the words of Amanda Feilding: “The State should take care of its citizens in a way that minimises the harms and protects their health. And to put the supply and the production of cannabis into the illegal market does not do that. And we can see that from just the fact that the only cannabis [illegally] available to young people is ‘skunk’ cannabis, not a balanced variety (…) The Government must investigate what are other options to protect the young and patients in need”.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/cannabis-trial-results-show-prohibition-must-end/feed/0Amanda Feilding interviewed for Channel 4 Drugs:Livehttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/13847/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/13847/#commentsThu, 05 Mar 2015 11:34:52 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13847Amanda Feilding, Director of the Beckley Foundation, talks to Alan Hayling of Renegade Pictures for Channel 4′s Drugs Live: “Cannabis is an amazing medicine, that is what millions of people around the world are saying. And they’re going to the extent of breaking the law in order to take cannabis because it is medicating their […]

Amanda Feilding, Director of the Beckley Foundation, talks to Alan Hayling of Renegade Pictures for Channel 4′s Drugs Live: “Cannabis is an amazing medicine, that is what millions of people around the world are saying. And they’re going to the extent of breaking the law in order to take cannabis because it is medicating their problems better than what they can get legally through the doctor, at the chemist shop”.

Channel 4′s Drugs Live aired on Tuesday 3rd March 2015: Cannabis will reveal the results of a six-month trial exploring the neural underpinnings of the subjective effects experienced by users under the influence of two different varieties of cannabis: high-strength THC cannabis (‘skunk’), and balanced cannabis, which contains both THC and CBD. This research represents a breakthrough in the science of cannabinoids and confirms the importance of CBD’s therapeutic value.

The placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was carried out at UCL under the leadership of Professor Val Curran, partly in collaboration with Amanda Feilding and the Beckley Foundation. The trial consists of separate modules comparing the effects of ‘skunk’ and ‘balanced’ cannabis (vs. placebo) on brain connectivity, well-being, cognition and memory. The trial was co-funded by Channel 4, the Beckley Foundation and DrugScience.

]]>http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/13847/feed/0Beckley Foundation’s Research on Psychedelicshttp://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/beckley-foundation-research-psychedelics/
http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2015/03/beckley-foundation-research-psychedelics/#commentsThu, 05 Mar 2015 10:34:40 +0000http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/?p=13835Psychedelics have been used throughout history for different social and/or spiritual purposes. Experts suggest that the relationship of humankind with these substances started as early as the Bronze Age. In fact, some of these ancient practices have survived into our days. From the 1960s, psychedelic use leaped into the public sphere in the Americas, Europe […]

Psychedelics have been used throughout history for different social and/or spiritual purposes. Experts suggest that the relationship of humankind with these substances started as early as the Bronze Age. In fact, some of these ancient practices have survived into our days.

From the 1960s, psychedelic use leaped into the public sphere in the Americas, Europe and elsewhere when it became associated to the ‘hippie’ counter-culture. However, a less noticeable phenomenon started two decades before this. Indeed, from the 1940s, a huge wave of studies started investigating these compounds and their effects on the mind. While the scientific rigour in some of these studies was questionable, it quickly became evident to experts that psychedelic agents had the potential to contribute to our understanding of the psyche and to the treatment of mental health conditions.

Scientific progress came to an abrupt halt in the 1970s, when psychedelic use became perceived as a threat to government and society, which led to an outright ban which was a strict as it was irrational.

In the last two decades, this paradigm of censorship has started to crumble, partly instigated by the work of organisations like ours. We have established collaborations with leading experts to carry out groundbreaking scientific studies and academic research on psychedelics, their mechanisms of action and their potential therapeutic application.

Pioneering scientific studies

Through Beckley / Imperial Psychedelic Science (BIPS)

In 2005 Amanda Feilding created a collaborative partnership with Prof. David Nutt (by the time at the University of Bristol), with the aim of investigating the effects of LSD and psilocybin on brain-function. The first projects devised, however, focused on cannabis. In 2009, when Professor David Nutt was appointed Head of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London, the research programme took its present form. Amanda and Prof Nutt co-direct the research, and Dr Robin Carhart-Harris is the Lead Investigator.

Psilocybin

Brain activity & Psilocybin (2011 – 2014)1 2 3 3 4 5 6 7

This groundbreaking series of studies explored how psilocybin works in the brain to produce its characteristic effects. After assessing tolerability and appropriate dosage in a pilot study, we carried out a brain-imaging study (fMRI and MEG) to investigate the neural underpinnings of the subjective experiences under the influence of psilocybin. Through this study we observed the changes occurring during the transition from a normal state of consciousness to an altered/psychedelic state of consciousness.

Utilising novel methods to analyse brain networks, we shed light on fundamental questions: How can the the profound changes in consciousness produced by psychedelics be explained from a neurobiological perspective? Which brain networks are most affected under the influence of psilocybin? What is unique about the way the brain reacts to classic psychedelic drugs? How does this advance our understanding of consciousness?

This work led to the programme receiving a substantial grant from the Medical Research Council to study the effects of psilocybin in the treatment of depression.

Moreover, the results of the study became the most downloaded scientific report in Imperial College’s history. The study achieved world-wide publicity when it was published in the prestigious journal PNAS in 2012.

Psilocybin & Depression (2012 – ongoing) 8

Our fMRI investigations have demonstrated that psilocybin reduces blood flow to the default mode network (DMN). Patients suffering from chronic depression show an over-active DMN. Moreover, under the effects of psilocybin, participants are able to recall positive memories from their lives more vividly (compared to placebo), partly due to the characteristic activation of visual and sensory areas in the brain. Therefore, we hypothesised that psilocybin could be a useful aid to psychotherapy for depression.

This study has been funded by the Medical Research Council and is currently in the pilot stage.

Theoretical implications of psilocybin research (2014) 9

The knowledge gained from studying neural structure and function under psychedelic drugs is invaluable for building models of brain in health and disease. By measuring the functional connectivity of the brain whilst under the influence of psilocybin, we have been able to hypothesise the utility of psilocybin as a model of early psychosis and introduce a fascinating new theory of conscious states.

LSD

LSD & Suggestibility (2014) 10

This study tested the purported suggestibility-enhancing effects of LSD in a modern placebo controlled study, using the Creative Imagination Scale (CIS). In other words, it assessed the extent to which external influences affected an individual’s consciousness. It concluded that LSD does enhance suggestibility. This is an important finding as enhanced suggestibility under LSD may have implications for its use as an adjunct to psychotherapy, where suggestibility plays a major role. The results also imply that individuals with high trait conscientiousness are especially sensitive to the suggestibility-enhancing effects of LSD, perhaps because the drug can elicit a greater change in such individuals by relinquishing their controlling tendencies.

LSD & Emotional response to music (forthcoming) 11

The study investigated the possibility that LSD enhances the emotional response to music. The results confirm this hypothesis and demonstrate that the emotional effects of music are intensified by this psychedelic compound, which can have implications for the use of LSD in psychotherapy, where emotional engagement is necessary. A follow-up study with fMRI is currently in progress.

The study investigates the effects of LSD on cerebral circulation (fMRI) and brain activity (MEG), and also explores the substance’s effects on cognition, imagination and response to music. This is a truly exciting project and the results could be tide-turning, paving the way for greater acceptance of the therapeutic applications of psychedelics as well as throwing new light on consciousness itself. We will start releasing the results in the summer of this year.